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Martin Pakledinaz Obituary

NEW YORK (AP) - Two-time Tony Award winner Martin Pakledinaz, who designed hundreds of costumes for stars such as Sutton Foster and Patti LuPone, has died, his agent said Monday. He was 58.

Pakledinaz died Sunday at his home in New York after a long battle with cancer, according to Patrick Herold, his agent.

Pakledinaz received Tonys for his designs for "Kiss Me Kate" in 2000 - with Marin Mazzie and Brian Stokes Mitchell - and "Thoroughly Modern Millie," two years later with Foster, whom he also dressed for her Tony-winning turn in "Anything Goes."

"My characters were defined from the fabric, the seams, the details of his work, his eye. I feel honored to know him, to love him, to call him a friend and collaborator and to be graced by his talent," Foster said in a statement.

Pakledinaz's additional Tony nominations include his work on "Anything Goes," ''Lend Me A Tenor," ''Blithe Spirit," ''Gypsy," ''The Pajama Game," ''Golden Child" an d "The Life." He most recently nabbed a nomination for this season's "Nice Work If You Can Get It."

He also designed costumes for the San Francisco Ballet, the Mark Morris Dance Group, the Metropolitan Opera's "Iphigenie en Tauride," the 2011 Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular and the film "My Week With Marilyn."

Other highlights include costuming Natasha Richardson and Liam Neeson in Eugene O'Neill's "Anna Christie" in 1993, "Grease" with Laura Osnes, "The Golden Ticket" at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Kevin Kline as Hamlet in 1990.

LuPone, who starred in the 2008 Broadway revival of Gypsy, recalled that Pakledinaz would turn up with medals he'd found in flea markets and attach them to the coat she appeared in during the first act.

Those medals, she said, are treasured mementos. "I am grateful for my brief but deep experience with Marty. He's gone from our world too soon. Broadway is less talented," she said in a statement.

Pakled inaz grew up in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and graduated from Wayne State University in 1975. He got his master's at the University of Michigan and moved to New York in 1977.

His work in opera includes the recent Juilliard production of "The Bartered Bride," directed by Stephen Wadsworth. He also had an enduring collaboration with the renowned director Peter Sellars, with whom he created new productions in Spain; Salzburg, Austria; Paris; New York and at the Santa Fe Opera.

He is survived by six brothers and one sister, nine nieces and nephews, and a godson.

"Martin was the best possible collaborator: eager, educated, versatile, savvy, pragmatic, imaginative," Morris said. "He was also the most gracious, appreciative, supportive and kind friend that one could ever desire."

NEW YORK (AP) - Two-time Tony Award winner Martin Pakledinaz, who designed hundreds of costumes for stars such as Sutton Foster and Patti LuPone, has died, his agent said Monday. He was 58.

Pakledinaz died Sunday at his home in New York after a long battle with cancer, according to Patrick Herold, his agent.

Pakledinaz received Tonys for his designs for "Kiss Me Kate" in 2000 - with Marin Mazzie and Brian Stokes Mitchell - and "Thoroughly Modern Millie," two years later with Foster, whom he also dressed for her Tony-winning turn in "Anything Goes."

"My characters were defined from the fabric, the seams, the details of his work, his eye. I feel honored to know him, to love him, to call him a friend and collaborator and to be graced by his talent," Foster said in a statement.

Pakledinaz's additional Tony nominations include his work on "Anything Goes," ''Lend Me A Tenor," ''Blithe Spirit," ''Gypsy," ''The Pajama Game," ''Golden Child" an d "The Life." He most recently nabbed a nomination for this season's "Nice Work If You Can Get It."

He also designed costumes for the San Francisco Ballet, the Mark Morris Dance Group, the Metropolitan Opera's "Iphigenie en Tauride," the 2011 Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular and the film "My Week With Marilyn."

Other highlights include costuming Natasha Richardson and Liam Neeson in Eugene O'Neill's "Anna Christie" in 1993, "Grease" with Laura Osnes, "The Golden Ticket" at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Kevin Kline as Hamlet in 1990.

LuPone, who starred in the 2008 Broadway revival of Gypsy, recalled that Pakledinaz would turn up with medals he'd found in flea markets and attach them to the coat she appeared in during the first act.

Those medals, she said, are treasured mementos. "I am grateful for my brief but deep experience with Marty. He's gone from our world too soon. Broadway is less talented," she said in a statement.

Pakled inaz grew up in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and graduated from Wayne State University in 1975. He got his master's at the University of Michigan and moved to New York in 1977.

His work in opera includes the recent Juilliard production of "The Bartered Bride," directed by Stephen Wadsworth. He also had an enduring collaboration with the renowned director Peter Sellars, with whom he created new productions in Spain; Salzburg, Austria; Paris; New York and at the Santa Fe Opera.

He is survived by six brothers and one sister, nine nieces and nephews, and a godson.

"Martin was the best possible collaborator: eager, educated, versatile, savvy, pragmatic, imaginative," Morris said. "He was also the most gracious, appreciative, supportive and kind friend that one could ever desire."

Guest Book Highlights

"I will always be thankful and feel honored for the oppurtunity that Martin presented to me allowing me to be my creative self , Martin thank you for everything ! You will surly be missed ! God Bless ! Gary White. The Custom Hatter. Buffalo NY"

"Just this past week Marty popped into my head.Not being in the "theatre world",I wondered what he has been up to.I hadn't heard much lately nominations etc. I was watching the Tony's last night and saw his name and a photo in the Memoriam Section...."- DAVID COHEN (New York, NY)

"I remember Marty when he was a boy and I was 12 years older. My life was full at that time with my own stuff, and Marty was just another one of my cousins. I never saw him again until I paid respects to his Mom, my Aunt Dorothy. I remember her..."- Dennis Cummings (South Lyon, MI)

"Marty was the most talented designer I have ever had the opportunity to work with, and I am so sad about his passing. Over the past twenty five years, I had the privilege of working on a dozen different projects with him. Marty always pushed those..."- Susan Davis (Seattle, WA)

"Martin was the best...The girls in the American Ballroom Theater company loved everything he ever did for them. He will be missed and remembered as an incredible designer. RIP Marty, Gary Pierce"- gary pierce (nyc, NY)

Other obituaries

Published in The New York Times on July 12, 2012

PAKLEDINAZ--Martin. The Board of Directors, Artists and Staff of The Santa Fe Opera mourn the death of a brilliant colleague and friend. He will be remembered as an inspired costume designer and for...
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Published in The New York Times on July 14, 2012

PAKLEDINAZ--Martin. The Metropolitan Opera mourns the death of the distinguished costume designer Martin Pakledinaz. At the Met he designed costumes for new productions of Lucia di Lammermoor,...
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